In earlier years leakage of water from a hot water heater, washing machine or other water supplied appliance was not much of a problem since most water heaters and washing machines were normally located in the basement of the home which usually had a concrete floor with a drain therein. Thus the water would gravitate to the drain and not present any serious problem. Additionally, the housewife or person attending to the washing machine was usually around to take appropriate action, such as shutting off the main water valve.
Today, the modern housewife is, in most instances, a wage earner who spends as much time away from the home as her partner. Additionally, the traditional single family home, in many instances, has been replaced by large buildings housing many individual dwelling units. These large high-rise buildings have become popular in the form of apartments and condo units each provided with their own hot water heater and washing machine units.
It can readily be seen that an unattended water leak on the tenth floor of a multi-story building could cause considerable damage to the unit where the leak occurred as well as untold damage to the units below. It is with this scenario in mind that applicant has sought to provide some measure of protection to the homeowner in the event of a water leak during his absence whether it be for a short or prolonged period of time.